It is clear that enjoying gamble games with friends where money is wagered (real or fictitious through the use of virtual chips) is a different and more enriching experience for those who seek precisely to enhance the social aspect of these games.

They are an excellent alternative to more competitive games, they allow to keep in touch with friends with similar concerns and expectations, and they reduce the tension generated by gambling more or less high amounts of real money.

“Can I gamble with friends?” or “should I try any specific app to play with them?” are common questions that we will answer below.

Tips for gambling with friends

If you want to gamble with friends and enjoy the advantages of betting games designed to enhance the social component, take a look at these tips to make the most of the experience and not devirtualize it:

  • Clear boundaries need to be placed on the game. Although games between friends of any kind are more informal, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have rules. In fact, the betting limits is the first aspect that should be discussed to agree on the acceptable margins for all those who are going to play, so that the game adapts to what you really want.
  • The rules must be agreed upon before starting. All the rules of the game have to be discussed and approved by all members, or at least, that is what is recommended. To avoid later disputes with the game started, confirm that the game you are going to start playing is adapted to what everyone is looking for. This will allow whoever is in charge of adapting the parameters of the game to make the necessary adjustments to create a game that complies with the rules approved by all.
  • If there are conflicts or disagreements, it is best to use an intermediary. Some groups prefer to have an intermediary in gambling games, especially to delegate to someone impartial the task of checking that the rules are being followed and that there is no cheating or malicious intent in anyone’s play. However, the mediator is more of a guarantor than a regulator, and his presence is not essential if the members of the group are people of their word and clearly agree on the rules that will govern the game.
  • Create a betting register. No matter how informal the game may be, it is highly recommended to always keep a betting log so that all bets are recorded in the game history. This will allow to settle any debate quickly and with absolute clarity, besides being a good source of information for those who want to have a reliable source of data with which to draw interesting statistical conclusions.
  • Under no circumstances should you break a friendship because of a bet. It is taken for granted that gambling is born out of a desire to have fun, but under no circumstances should gambling create such tension between you that it compromises your relationship or jeopardizes your friendship. If that happens, you should stop gambling and talk to each other to see what aspects of gambling are damaging your relationship.

Is gambling with friends illegal?

The legality of gambling depends on the laws of each territory. However, we can establish a series of criteria that can clarify whether a bet between friends is legal or not.

  • Are they made on authorized platforms? As a general rule, gamble online with friends tends to be considered legal, although legislation is restrictive in this respect and establishes that betting outside authorized centers is not legally protected.
  • Is there a profit motive? Betting between friends usually involves small amounts of money if we are talking about betting with real money. Amounts that do not normally pose a financial risk. However, this problem disappears when betting with fictitious virtual money chips, which is always better.
  • Does it depend on the amount wagered? This is actually not the case in Spain because betting with real money is forbidden outside authorized environments, i.e., betting houses and gambling halls that have the proper gambling license. And, to place bets with fictitious money you have to access online platforms designed precisely to enjoy without using money, so everything goes through using platforms such as Pokerhub, which have the corresponding authorizations to operate and where you will find the funniest and best gambling games with friends. You definitely should try them.
  • Territory-specific prohibitions. Keep in mind that each territory has its own laws regarding gambling and betting, and these laws change according to new sensitivities and needs. Therefore, it is advisable to check the legislation wherever you play to make sure that none of the local prohibitions affect you.
  • Taxation. You don’t have to worry about this in the case of enjoying games on sites like Pokerhub, where you don’t use real money, but play with virtual chips with no real monetary value, allowing you to enjoy the game without anyone having to worry about your money.